The latest match-3 puzzle adventure title in the Jewel series is now available at all good retail outlets for the Nintendo DS, courtesy of publishers Rising Star Games. Jewel Legends: Tree of Life contains over 100 levels with around 32 trophies available for players to accrue.
A magical Tree of Life where time ceases to exist is home to mythical creatures known as the Hods. However, the incessant greed of a dark demon once damned the Hods to a life of secrecy. Now, a new hope is stirring: Rebuild the world of the Hods and help the Tree of Life attain its former glory using building materials, jewels and other valuables.
This forms the basis of gamplay, with the player switching out adjacent symbols to build rows of three or more of the same symbol. The valuables help you to build luxury structures for the Hods, such as Bath House Blubberpot, the Mushroom Farm and the Fountain of Wonder. Players can also check out bonus game modes and collect trophies.
It’s crazy to think that we are just a few weeks away from the final Harry Potter film being released. While I still feel more video games will be emerge later on, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 2 looks to finish up the videogame tie-in series to the movies with quite a bang. Today EA released a new trailer for the upcoming Potter game that shows all the young wizards preparing for the final battle at Hogwarts.
The CG clips look quite impressive as it stands as they capture the personalities behind the characters quite well, and from the looks of it this title will utilize the cover system that was introduced in Part 1, which may or may not be a bad thing. If you have ever played Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 1, you might remember that this style of combat was a bit messy and unpolished overall, but I want to say that things seem to improved greatly as in the clip, Harry can be seen zapping spells from his wand with relative ease and the whole mechanic just seems to much more fluent this time around. I certainly hope the game controls as good as it looks, but that is still up in the air at the moment. All of our questions will be answered soon enough though as Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 2 releases July 12th on all platforms (except for the PSP & 3DS) . Check out the new trailer below and give us your thoughts in the comment section below.
As the title suggests, popular PC shooter released by Valve over their Steam delivery platform has recently become free-to-play. That means that players will no longer need to buy the game at $20AU in order to start playing.
Check out the games new quotations!
About the Game
“The most fun you can have online” – PC Gamer Is now FREE!
There’s no catch! Play as much as you want, as long as you like!
The world’s #1 war-themed hat simulator!
One of the most popular online action games of all time, Team Fortress 2 delivers constant free updates—new game modes, maps, equipment and, most importantly, hats. Nine distinct classes provide a broad range of tactical abilities and personalities, and lend themselves to a variety of player skills.
New to TF? Don’t sweat it!
No matter what your style and experience, we’ve got a character for you. Detailed training and offline practice modes will help you hone your skills before jumping into one of TF2’s many game modes, including Capture the Flag, Control Point, Payload, Arena, King of the Hill and more.
Make a character your own!
There are hundreds of weapons, hats and more to collect, craft, buy and trade. Tweak your favorite class to suit your gameplay style and personal taste. You don’t need to pay to win—virtually all of the items in the Mann Co. Store can also be found in-game.
It’s likely that the reason for the game now becoming Free-to-play is the opening of their in-game store, but apparently players can also earn the items found in the store in-game. This is great news for everyone!
I will be starting a new feature titled Anime Focus, where-in I focus on various anime related topics and hopefully provide some interesting food for thought. I will cover topics such as anime industry announcements, current and past anime series, upcoming anime seasons, etc. Please note that this is not a review, it is simply an analysis and should be treated as such. There will be no score out of 10 or rating, just simple analysis and opinion.
For the first edition of Anime Focus I will be discussing the recent Supanova Sydney 2011 announcements made by Madman Entertainment and Siren Visual. Both companies announced several acquired anime titles and for this Anime Analysis, I will go through them one by one and provide my thoughts on each and what it could mean for each company.
Dennou Coil This is a series that up until now I had never heard of. But after reading the synopsis I am willing to give it a try. The general gist of the plot is that its set in the future and augmented reality has become a large part of society.
From reading that synopsis it tell’s me that this series will tackle the questions of what is the meaning of reality, life, death and all that comes in between. But then again, I could be wrong. Time will tell I suppose.
From a business stand-point this will undoubtedly sell well for Siren’s hardcore otaku market. Whom probably are already very familar with this series. Overall it looks to be an interesting series, that I’ll definitely be giving a go.
Bunny Drop Also known as Usagi Drop, this is my personal most anticipated title Siren has acquired. Being a fan of the manga I can not wait to see the animated adaptation.
Bunny Drop tells the story of a man who ends up having to take care of a young girl. That is the simplest way to put it. But let me say that this is one series not to be missed and might very well be one of Siren’s biggest series since Durarara!!
For Siren this series is huge as it is both greatly anticipated by the anime community and the manga itself is critically acclaimed. Without a doubt I will be streaming this and purchasing the DVD whenever it is released.
Angel Beats For years fans have lauded over Angel Beats and damn near begged both Madman and Siren to release it. Finally one of them has and it surprisingly turned out to be Siren.
I am personally not a fan of this series so I will be most likely giving it a pass, but I have no doubt in my mind this series will do wonders for Siren as it is incredibly popular and has been requested so many times that I’m shocked it took this long for someone to license it.
The series is set in the after-life in an after-life school of some sort and follows a boy named Otonashi who has lost his memories after dying.
The premise doesn’t particularly interest me, but with so many people raving about it, it must be good.
Chaos;Head If this series is anything like Steins;Gate. I want to watch it. I will admit that I embarrassingly didn’t know that the creators of Steins;Gate had made anything before it, nor that they were both based off visual novels. But I must say I love Steins;Gate, so I’m definitely going to check out Chaos;Head.
Chaos;Head follows the story of a young man named Takumi who accidentally stumbles onto the scene of a murder and finds himself wound up in a tangled web of mystery as more murders begin to come to light. Soon enough he finds himself in the sights of the perpetrator.
I wasn’t expecting Madman to announce this series at all, that is for sure. But the fact that they did, does indeed make the Steins;Gate fan in me quite happy.
B Gata K Hei I’ll be frank here. I am not at all interested in this series. I don’t particularly care for these type of anime (harem). The only thing that seems like it isn’t an entire retread of past harem/fan service fests is that instead of having a perverted guy as the protagonist it has a perverted girl. But even that isn’t entirely new ground.
I’m not too sure why Madman has decided to license this over some other much more viable options, but as they say “fan-service sells”.
If the picture to the left doesn’t interest you, this series probably isn’t for you. If however you love fan-service and don’t particular care for plot or characters, by all means give this a go when it comes out. But otherwise, like me, steer clear.
Hetalia World Series + Paint it White (Movie) I never personally fell for the Hetalia craze that swept about recently, so I don’t have a lot of interest in the series or the movie. But for fans of the series, this is big news. I know a lot of fans out there love the series and Madman is doing a great job showing it the love it deserves. Although I do not personally find myself interested in it, I can understand why it is so popular.
For those who don’t know, Hetalia is a comedy series which features human personifications of real world countries. I know on the surface this can come across as a little deterrent, as it gives off the image of racial stereotype humour. But from what I have been told, that isn’t the case here, or atleast not entirely.
This is one that will undoubtedly sell well for Madman as they have already built an Australian fan base for the series, who will be sure to pick this up.
Tales of Vesperia (Movie) I’m a huge fan of the Tales series and this one looks great. I’m not sure whether I prefer the Tales games or the Tales anime series. Both are quite solid, my favourite of both being Symphonia. I will definitely check this out upon release and suggest fans do the same.
I’m unsure whether this will be a hit or not, I’m guessing it will fall down to marketing of the release. Regardless I will be picking it up as a Tales fan. Here’s hoping Madman brings us more Tales in the future.
Tales of Vesperia will be a prequel to the game of the same name. What is interesting to note is that this is the first film adaptation of the Tales series. So it will definitely be interesting to see how well this does, once released.
Nichijou – My Ordinary Life Nichijou is one of the new series straight from Japan that Madman announced. At this point it’s hard to tell whether we will get a sub-only release for the mean time until it is dubbed or they will simply be streaming it online at the Madman screening room. I’m leaning more towards the latter.
This series cries out Azumanga Daioh in appearance and feeling to me. I am not the biggest slice of life fan you’d find but I thoroughly enjoyed Azumanga Daioh and this really reminds me of it.
Nichijou – My Ordinary Life, is quite simply a slice of life series. What sets it apart you ask? Well it apparently features some bizarre characters and setting whilst the characters all act as though it is a part of ordinary life. Keep an eye on this one!
GOSICK This is another series straight from Japan that’s release format is up in the air right now. But let’s not worry too much about that for now. This series is super popular right now, only eclipsed by the last two titles on this list. Madman has picked this up at the perfect time to capitalise on its popularity.
The series follows Kazuya Kujo and Victorique as they solve mysteries in a 1924, french speaking country called Sauville. If you like mysteries, this series is definitely for you.
I personally will be checking this out upon release, not just because I am a mystery fan, but also to see what all the hype is about.
For now I’m going to guess we will see this on the Screening Room before we see a DVD release of it.
Steins;Gate Like Nichijou and Gosick this one is straight from Japan, in fact it is still airing right now. This series has become one of the most critically acclaimed of the current anime season, with it’s brilliantly conceived characters and storyline.
Steins;Gate is the latest work from the characters of Chaos;Head and like-wise it based on a video game. However it is probably best you don’t look up information about the game if you don’t want the series spoiled.
Steins;Gate follows Okabe Rintaro a self proclaimed Mad Scientist who manages to create a make-shift time machine out of a microwave. The implications of time travel play a large part in this series and to say anymore would ruin the adventure.
This will probably get a Screening Room release before DVD, but once it hits shelves around the country, it’s gonna hit hard. This is undoubtedly going to be one of the most successful series of all of the acquired titles by Madman at Supanova.
Deadman Wonderland Last but absolutely not least is the stand out fan-favourite announcement from Madman. This series is absolutely huge world-wide right now and for good reason. Put simply, it’s stunning.
This series has set the Madman forums and facebook page abuzz with Deadman fever, even though all they revealed was that they have licensed it.
For those who haven’t been hit be the Deadman hype train, the series is about a young boy named Ganta Igarashi who finds himself framed for massacre and imprisoned in the worlds most deadliest prison, Deadman Wonderland, where you are nothing but a pawn in a psychotic warden’s game of life and death (in most cases death).
If there was any single announcement that would rock the anime world, it was this. As with Steins;Gate it will most likely see a Screening Room release before DVD. But you never know until confirmation. Also like Steins;Gate this is without a shadow of a doubt going to be one of Madman’s most successful acquisitions.
And that is it, for the acquisitions of Madman and Siren Visual. Overall, Madman has stacked the deck against Siren Visual, but Siren has licensed some strong series themselves and shouldn’t be taken lightly. No matter whether you consider this a competition between the two companies or equal playing ground, the fans win regardless. We have so many great series announced that have not even been announced in the US. This is a great sign for the growing anime industry in Australia and a great outlook as we move towards the future of anime. So until next time, stay in focus!
Sonic is almost at drinking age, the blue blur turns 20 this year and Sega will be putting out a new game this year, Sonic Generations, to celebrate his 20th anniversary. At E3 we got a little time with the hedgehog and now you can to. For a short period of time on Xbox Live or PSN you can get the demo for Sonic Generations. In this new segment called Demoed we take a look at game demos and let you know if they are worth your time or hard drive space to download. Check out the video down below.
Hold your horses, PC gamers: L.A. Noire is coming to a computer near you. Rockstar has officially announced that L.A. Noire – currently an Xbox 360 and PS3 title – is coming to PC this fall.
The PC version of L.A. Noire was developed by Rockstar Leeds, and will feature keyboard remapping and gamepad functionality to migrate the experience from console to computer. For all you PC gamers who haven’t heard about L.A. Noire yet, let us give you a rundown: you play as Detective Cole Phelps, a WWII veteran who has returned to Los Angeles to right the wrongs of his past. You play through five desks, patrol, traffic, homicide, vice, and arson, and solve crimes by investigating crime scenes, examining evidence, and interrogating suspects.
Today is Thursday, and with that comes brand new releases to all of Nintendo’s eShops across the Wii, DSi, & 3DS in the USA. This week’s Virtual Console release is “Tennis” (originally seen on the Nintendo Game Boy), which is simply a tennis game with Mario keeping score. Fans of Guilty Gear are without a doubt the luckiest this week as the beloved Chimaki from Guilty Gear 2 has arrived to the 3DS eShop in his very own “quirky” platformer, Pro Jumper! Guilty Gear Tangent?! in which the mascot is armed with a towel and hungering for delicious apples that can be found throughout each level. Also new to the DSiWare/eShop is a puzzler by the name of Delbo and a new strategy game, Stratego: Next Edition. Wii owners can also pick up the hidden object game, The Mystery of Whiterock Castle.
Honestly this week is a bit less exciting than what we have seen as of late, but I really want to say Pro Jumper! Guilty Gear Tangent?! certainly shows the most promise judging off the trailer alone. You can check out that clip below and check back next week as hopefully there will be even more additions to all three digital platforms.
FUNimation recently announced that they have acquired the rights to not only stream, but also distribute Gonzo’s upcoming anime, Last Exile: Ginyoku no Fam. In english the title is called Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing. The anime series itself is a spin off of the 2003 anime series and also is being done to commemorate Gonzo’s 20th anniversary.
The Anime Expo occurring next month will play host to the premier of the series on July 1st to the 4th in Los Angeles. Funimation says that the series itself will focus around “the young ace vanship pilot, Fam, and her trusted navigator, Giselle, as they pilot their vanship, Vespa, through the free and peaceful skies.” To commemorate the acquisition and Gonzo’s 20th anniversary FUNimation is also holding a contest where five winners will win a Last Exile DVD and other prizes! You can enter the contest here.
Game: Drums Challenge Developer/Publisher: MusiGames/Sanuk Games Platforms: PS3 (Reviewed) and PSP Price: $2.49 / €1.99 / £1.74 Genre: Music/Rhythm
Sanuk Games has published quite a few games for the Mini service on Playstation consoles. Ranging from tough platformers to mind boggling puzzles, these games are usually at the top of quality when it comes to the titles usually released onto the Playstation Mini store. The developers have recently released another game for Minis called Drums Challenge. It aims to capture the feeling of playing a drum set and looking totally awesome while doing it. Does it succeed? Have my social status and looks improved? Is the Awesome meter in the city square alight, with my name at the top? Read on to find out.
Drums Challenge is quite a simple game in theory. An opponent, usually a made up music star, plays a drum set for 10 to 15 seconds. Each drum and cymbal corresponds with a button. For example, the bass drum is hit with the X button. When the opponent is playing, each drum or cymbal, when hit, lights up, as does the button symbol underneath each instrument. Once the opponent is finished playing a section, it is then the players (thats you!) task to replicate the actions using your controller inputs. It may sound easy but, in reality, it is difficult, sometimes to the point of infuriation.
At first, each section is just one drum. The opponent will play in time with the guitar and other instruments in the background and all you’ll need to do is press just one button in time with same music. It later increases to two buttons, 3 buttons and then more, often times also requiring you to up switch between multiple drums, just like a real musician or drummer. Most of the time, the game captures the hectic feel of playing the instrument and it is quite fun. The soundtracks are upbeat and keep the game feeling fresh. The characters, although only on screen for brief periods of time, are quite encouraging even when you fail and they are stylishly unique. When you win, they congratulate you, making you feel like a rock star yourself. The art direction and graphics are top notch. The game feels quite modern and it very clean and simple to navigate. It was a joy to look at and move around in. However, there are a couple problems with the game.
The most glaring issue is when the player must press two buttons at the same time, for example the Square and Triangle. It is very awkward to do so, and in my experience, it was nearly impossible to pull it off in succession with the music while at the same time worrying about the next note I needed to hit. Most of the time, I ended up missing both beats, or missing the succeeding beat. I may be the only person to experience this issue though, as it seems inconceivable that such a large problem, in my view, could have escaped notice. I was playing on the PS3 and I did not understand at first why they did not make use of the R2 and L2 buttons. However, once I tried the game on the PSP, the problem lessoned and the button situation became clear, although I wish there was some sort of solution to the problem.
The other problem with the game comes down to the fundamentals. All in all, for a portion of the experience, it feels more like your playing a musically inspired Simon Says game than actually playing a drum set. Memorization of the previously played notes can be a pain and sometimes it is an exhaustive experience, particularly on the higher difficulty levels. The addition of a system similar to Rock Band, where the notes are previewed before they must be hit, might have made the gameplay much more fun. Admittedly, playing the drums is quite hard and this game replicates that part of playing the instrument adequately. However, after a long day, relaxing with this game is tough to do as memorization and cumbersome controls are the last thing I want to deal with. That said, if your looking for a portable experience, this game is quite a treat to play in the car.
There is a slight problem with the lag in the PS3 version of the game as well. The developers have acknowledged the problem, saying that although the game is perfectly playable for the console, the way that the game emulates the PSP version can cause problems, especially in freestyle mode. So far, there is no fix for the issue, although admittedly, the problem is so small, it is barely noticeable.
Most of your time will be spent in Career mode, where you go through the different genres of music trying to beat the 25 characters. Beating them unlocks the next challenge. Along the way, you can unlock different pieces for your own personal drum set which can be played in Freestyle mode, which is exactly what it sounds like. Unfortunately, there is no recording option for freestyle mode, which is a real bummer. However, you will, as exemplified by me, look pretty rad while composing beats on the fly.
In conclusion, Drums Challenge is neat little title. There is plenty of music, from all genres, like blues, rock and country. Each track, although unlicensed, is sufficiently playable on its own. In fact, I would not mind downloading a couple of the tracks into my Zune collection for general listening purposes. The graphics are superb and the gameplay is pretty fun. If your looking for musical experience on the cheap, this game may do the trick. There is plenty of value for your money in this title.
Namco Bandai recently announced that they are working on Saint Seiya: Sanctuary Battle for the PlayStation 3 exclusively. They only announced the game for Japan at the time but it appears that the game will be showing up somewhere in the West at least. Namco Bandai Games Europe announced today that they will be bringing the game to PAL territories and they have released an English trailer for the game.
Saint Seiya: Sanctuary Battle will contain the original Japanese voice overs and have English Subtitles. The trailer itself can be seen below, with a European release date of next year. Japan on the other hand will be getting a release in the Fall of this year. Hopefully a North American release will get announced soon, because there are plenty of fans of the Knights of the Zodiac here in the States.
I never personally fell for the Hetalia craze that swept about recently, so I don’t have a lot of interest in the series or the movie. But for fans of the series, this is big news. I know a lot of fans out there love the series and Madman is doing a great job showing it the love it deserves. Although I do not personally find myself interested in it, I can understand why it is so popular.
